Boxed Brownie Mixes

Published December 2008

How we tested

There are times, like a last-minute bake sale or Cub Scout meeting, when the convenience of a boxed brownie mix is appealing. To find out which of these mixes are any good, we rounded up seven national brands of boxed brownie mixes, did extensive pretasting to determine a sole contender from brands that offer different styles, baked them according to package instructions, and called our tasters to the table.

As expected, the majority of the brownies were awful, featuring “chemical” flavors, cloying sweetness, and a distinct lack of chocolate flavor. There were, however, two bright spots. A pair of brownie mixes from chocolate manufacturers were actually pretty good—not as good as homemade, but surprisingly close.

What separated these brands from the pack? For one, they were the only mixes to include additional sources of chocolate (other than chips). One mix comes with a packet of chocolate syrup; another mix has both semisweet chocolate chunks and mini chocolate chips. Tasters also praised the “rich,” “balanced” chocolate flavor of these mixes, which comes in part from their inclusion of both natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. (Our third-place also contains both types of cocoa.) We often find natural cocoa powder bitter, but used in conjunction with milder Dutch-processed cocoa, plenty of sugar, and another source of chocolate, it can make for richer, more chocolaty brownies.

Most mixes call for vegetable oil; one of our winning mixes calls for butter, which contributes richness and flavor and gave this brand a significant leg up in our tasting.

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The Results

Note: America's Test Kitchen continuously updates our equipment reviews and taste tests. The written content below is the most up-to-date information available and may not match what appears in the video segment.

Winner

Recommended

Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix

Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix

“Balanced chocolate (flavor) and sweetness” was tasters’ assessment of these “moist, chewy” brownies, which were also praised for their “perfect texture.” One taster gushed, “Just like Mom used to make.” EDITORS' NOTE: Since we conducted our testing, Ghirardelli renamed this product Chocolate Supreme (formerly "Chocolate Syrup"). We retasted it and it is indeed the same mix.

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Required Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 egg, and 1/4 cup water for 8- by 8-inch pan of brownies (can also bake in 9- by 9-inch pan)

Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownie Mix

$8.99 for 20.8 ounces

Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownie Mix

Most tasters lauded the “very rich,” “real,” and “natural” chocolate flavor of this upscale brand from television personality and cookbook author Ina Garten. The “dense and chewy,” “moist and fudgy” texture was also a hit. A few naysayers complained about “burnt” or “acrid” notes.

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Required Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 eggs, and ¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional; we did not use them) for 8- by 8-inch pan of brownies

$8.99 for 20.8 ounces

Recommended with Reservations

Pillsbury Brownie Classics Traditional Fudge Premium Brownie Mix

$2.59 for 19.5 ounces

Pillsbury Brownie Classics Traditional Fudge Premium Brownie Mix

“Sweeter than most and not as chocolaty” and “pretty sweet but good” sum up tasters’ opinions of this brand’s middle-of-the-road flavor. Comments on texture were not as kind: “spongy,” “extremely oily,” and “weird chewy clumps.”

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Required Ingredients

1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup water for 13- by 9-inch pan of brownies

$2.59 for 19.5 ounces

Betty Crocker Hershey’s Ultimate Fudge Supreme Brownie Mix

$2.99 for 21 ounces

Betty Crocker Hershey’s Ultimate Fudge Supreme Brownie Mix

With the longest ingredient list in our lineup, it wasn’t surprising that tasters found these “very chewy” brownies to have a “fake” chocolate flavor and an “off aftertaste.” “More sweet than chocolaty.”

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Required Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 2 tablespoons water for 8- by 8-inch pan of brownies (can also bake in 9- by 9-inch or 13- by 9-inch pan)

$2.99 for 21 ounces

Not Recommended

Duncan Hines Family-Style Chewy Fudge Brownies

$1.69 for 21 ounces

Duncan Hines Family-Style Chewy Fudge Brownies

Cries of "too sweet," "all sugar and no chocolate," and "lacks flavor" dominated the comment sheets. "Looks awesome, but [tastes like] crud" and "tastes like microwave brownies" were other complaints.

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Required Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1/4 cup water for 8- by 8-inch pan of brownies (can also bake in 9- by 9-inch or 13- by 9-inch pan)

Cherrybrook Kitchen Fudge Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips

$5.29 for 16 ounces

Cherrybrook Kitchen Fudge Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips

The “stale and sour,” “murky” flavors didn’t come from the margarine—these eggless brownies were still last across the board when made with butter. The non-dairy chocolate chips in the mix didn’t seem to boost chocolate flavor. Tasters detected hints of “carob,” “fruit juice,” and “banana”—not chocolate.

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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